Everybody loves to hate Bulgaria

Unfortunately this thread seems to have started a battle between those for and against Bulgaria, and the impact which forums can have on the reputation for a particular area.  Many seem to have over looked the actual potential which Bulgaria has for the future, and highlighted potential problems with advisors and agents in the area.  While this is a common problem for many people investing in foreign markets, rightly or wrongly the Bulgarian market seems to have received more criticism than most.  Once you have stripped out the personal attacks from the various contributors, there is an interesting underlying subject which is vital to any investment – Trust.

While a little unsettling to see such an aggressive post, the value of forum moderators has been shown to the full, with a number of attempts to defuse the situation.  As mentioned on a number of occasions there is a very fine line between personal opinions and potential libel, something which we are all keen to avoid.  Unfortunately the personal attacks overshadow what is a very important subject for any investor, the value of a good agent, good advisor and the trust you put in them.  As they say, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the barrel, and this post is a perfect example of such a scenario.  The minority seem to be taking the headlines, and the trustworthy agents seem to be suffering. 

How much time it takes for registration a company for foreign origin?

Even though many countries have recently applied to join the EU, even the successful ones seem to be a little slow in aligning their various regulations with EU laws.  The ownership of domestic property by foreign investors is one which regularly crops up, as it has in this post about Bulgaria.  Historically there has been a requirement to purchase property through a registered company, something which can take anything up to 1 month to register.  However, it seems that the EU laws are slowly creeping through and within the next 7 years, foreign individuals will be able to acquire land in Bulgaria in their own name.

Over the last couple of years we have seen a great number of countries successfully apply to join the EU.  However, very few seem to be ready to change their laws as quickly as they are to receive financial assistance from other EU members.  The ownership of property by foreign investors is something which has attracted much controversy in the past, and something which many countries have been slow to amend.  Perhaps it is time that the EU insisted on quicker implementation of EU regulations when entering the community, effectively creating a level playing field for both domestic and foreign investors – something which is fundamental to the EU ethos.

100% mortgages in Bulgaria

This innocent looking investment proposal has created a post which is full of claim and counter claim about an array of investments in Bulgaria.  The investment proposal seems to offer 100% mortgages on new developments, guaranteed rents of 10% and a ready made corporate market.  There is also reference to a number of derogatory comments on other websites which have muddied the waters some what.  Even after reading the post it is unclear what is actually happening, but it just shows that you need to be 100% sure of advisors, developers and agents before investing overseas.  An interesting if somewhat confusing post.

Whether the comments on this post are valid, right or wrong is unclear but it does go to show how one post (on a third party website) can have such a major impact on any situation.  Apparently there is a potentially libellous post on another blog which pours scorn on the investment mentioned in this post, prompting a whole host of claims and counter claims.  The bottom line is that you should always ensure you have fully investigated any potential investments overseas, before actually putting your cash down.  The investment proposal mentioned does seem a little generous, but new markets are opening up all of the time.

am i being ripped off in Romania?

Unfortunately when entering into any overseas market there will be aspects of the market which you are not sure of and aspects which look a little suspicious.  This poster appears to have found an English speaking advisor, which sounds great in principle, but the swift acceptance of an offer well below the asking price does set alarm bells ringing.  If you are investing substantial amounts of money in foreign markets you need to be sure the price you are paying is correct, information which is more than likely available on the internet – but you may have to look in a number of places.  Never take what you are told at face value, always check it out, and never sign up if your have any doubts at all!

The fear of being “ripped off” in an overseas market is one which many investors have experienced.  It is the venture into the unknown which is the cause of these worries, after finding an investment which looks good on paper.  Unfortunately, even with the best advisors available there are still risks in investing money abroad - different practices and different regulations.  It is vital that you do your own research into a market before even considering such as mover, and forums are a great place to start.  If you ask a question you will receive many answers, although a trend and general opinion will soon from in front of your very eyes!

Investing In Romania

A quick check at the Romania section shows just how popular a subject this area of the world is becoming.  It is very interesting to see the amount of different posters on the forum, ensuring that your have more chance of an overall balanced opinion.  Many posters make the mistake of looking at one post in isolation which can sometimes prove critical when arriving at your decision.  Just like an investment on the stock market, any property market will have its fans and knockers, but ultimately it is down to you to decide whether or not to proceed.  Do not be too influenced by one post in isolation, because you never know what you might find elsewhere.

It is interesting to see the array of subject matter and number of posts which are currently being posted abut Romania.  This is a country which attracts much praise and criticism in equal measures, but many investors seem to be swayed by the reputation of old.  In order to arrive at a balanced opinion it is vital that you read as many of the posts as possible, because it can be easy to arrive at a snap decision – something which you may regret either way in the future.  The exchange of information and views is vital to any investment market, after all you need a buyer and a seller to complete a transaction – parties which may have greatly differing views on the market.